The Struggle Between Wind and Oil in Norway
The Progress Party (Frp) is demanding a guarantee for the development of the controversial Wisting field in order to save Norwegian industry. At the same time, the party is being accused of hypocrisy for opposing offshore wind power.
Inside the production hall at the Green Yard Feda shipyard in Kvinesdal, two workers are busy welding and grinding.
General Manager Hans Jørgen Fedog notes that there was significantly more activity just last week.
“That’s simply how things are these days, now that we don’t have as many projects as we used to,” he says.
The primary challenge is a lack of predictability and major fluctuations in the volume of work.
Fedog calls for more activity—a sentiment echoed throughout the industry at present. Layoffs, uncertainty, and cutbacks are spreading across the sector.
The Progress Party (Frp) has responded with what they call a “Wisting guarantee.”
“If we remove this major project—which is currently under scrutiny—it will have catastrophic consequences for the shipyard industry in Norway,” says Kristoffer Sivertsen (Frp).
As the party’s spokesperson for energy policy, he is demanding a guarantee from Minister of Energy Terje Aasland (Labour Party) that the Wisting field in the Barents Sea will be developed.
He argues that such a guarantee would safeguard jobs at the shipyards and throughout the coastal industrial sector.
“It’s about ensuring that people along the coast have jobs to go to. They intend to use Wisting as a catalyst to push further north with oil and gas exploration.” The Wisting field is considered one of the largest undeveloped oil discoveries on the Norwegian continental shelf.
Sivertsen, of the Progress Party (Frp), believes the field is particularly important, given the projected decline in Norwegian oil and gas production and the fact that shipyards are running out of work.
However, the oil field—the northernmost in the world—is controversial for several reasons.
It is located in the northern Barents Sea, approximately 300 kilometers north of the Finnmark coast, near the ice edge.
The EU’s position is clear: they want to ensure that oil, coal, and gas remain in the ground—including in the Arctic.
Equinor previously put the Wisting project on hold due to high costs.
Furthermore, following the recent presentation of the government’s proposed national budget, the Socialist Left Party (SV) announced that they would make halting exploration in the Arctic a condition for budget negotiations.
“We fear that Wisting will open the door to large-scale oil exploration in the Barents Sea,” says SV deputy leader Lars Haltbrekken.
Criticism of the Progress Party Regarding Offshore Wind
The Federation of Norwegian Industries (Norsk Industri) also views Wisting as an important project for the sector, though it notes that the project alone cannot bridge the anticipated future gap.
Sivertsen’s statement also comes shortly after the Stavanger Chamber of Commerce and Industry criticized his party for contributing to the decline of industry along the coast.
Several projects are now coming to an end. With little work available, shipyards have been forced to lay off hundreds of employees.
“Offshore wind was supposed to serve as a bridge from oil and gas to new markets for the supplier industry. When Norwegian projects drag on and politicians create uncertainty regarding the offshore wind initiative, it fosters uncertainty among both developers and suppliers,” says Harald Solberg, Director of the Federation of Norwegian Industries (Norsk Industri).
The industry itself is calling for a greater commitment to renewable energy projects, such as the government’s planned offshore wind initiative.
However, the Progress Party (Frp) opposes this.
This spring, the Conservative Party (Høyre) requested an “external quality assessment” of state support for floating offshore wind. Several other parties expressed support, but a majority could only be secured with the backing of the Progress Party.
The Progress Party voted in favor of the Conservative Party’s proposal—which effectively put the offshore wind initiative on hold—after failing to secure a majority for its own proposal to scrap offshore wind subsidies entirely.
Terje Aasland: Frp’s Stance Makes No Sense
Minister of Energy Terje Aasland (Labour Party) states that shipyards and the supplier industry depend on the overall level of activity being as high as possible within the oil and gas sector—as well as in areas such as offshore wind and carbon capture and storage (CCS).
“Therefore, it makes no sense for the Progress Party (Frp) to express concern about activity levels at the shipyards when they are dedicating all their energy to sabotaging offshore wind.”
Aasland argues that the Progress Party is creating uncertainty.
Sivertsen responds to the criticism, asserting that it is far better to prioritize oil over offshore wind.
“We are not opposed to offshore wind, but we do not want to spend billions in subsidies when we cannot even afford to complete the construction of hospitals in Norway.”
The offshore wind project Utsira Nord could require state support of up to 35 billion kroner.
“Meanwhile, we are seeing one offshore wind project after another collapse across Europe. That is why we believe it is much better to open up significantly more areas for oil exploration,” Sivertsen continues.
All Activity Is Good for the Industry
The general manager of Green Yard Feda emphasizes that the Wisting project is a positive development for the coastal regions. However, he is unequivocal that this alone is not enough.
“It is a paradox that the Progress Party—which has helped limit activity along the coast—is now demanding guarantees from the government,” says Fedog.
He argues that Norway must take proactive steps and pursue a long-term industrial policy that ensures activity, expertise, and value creation all along the coast.
“This is not just about jobs; it is also about preserving industrial capacity that is vital for Norway’s emergency preparedness.”
Source: NRK (in Norwegian)